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Topic: Muscovey Ducks (Read 2202 times)

If you keep or are interested in keeping muscovies you need to search for Fish and Wildlife regulations on migratory birds. They want comment on regs that classified muscovies as migratory and therefore protected. This means they are subject to restrictions and can not be sold for meat. They admit they made a mistake and didn't realize that many people raised them for meat. You have until Dec 30.

"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

The rule plainly states that those who keep Muscovy ducks and have them when the rule is implemented will be allowed to continue keeping them. It also plainly states that those who raise and sell them for meat will be allowed to continue. The rule is trying to get controls on an invasive species. I happen to agree with that process. The darn birds are a mess here in FL. Our local public libraries and other facilities with ponds or creeks have Muscovy feces all over every bench, bush, sidewalk, tree and building on the property. Why? Because the little old ladies from NY, NJ, MA etc. come down here and feed them and think they're the cutist little critters, straight out of Disney. The cities can't get rid of them because of public protests from animal rights groups and tree huggers. This rule allows common sense control of an unwanted, dirty, non-native species. Shoot 'em or wring their necks and let the gators have 'em. :roll:

Sorry to have started this. We don't have a problem up here with them going feral. I've pen raised them for meat as many of my friends have. Came across the article in my grandsons magazine that claimed they couldn't be sold for meat under proposed regs. the same as any game bird.

Actually, the regulation change is not so that they can be dealt with as a non native invasive. There are other means to accomplish that such as declaring them so and banning the possession/trade and propogation of as they have with many other species. The reg was lobbied for and put in place by the USDA's wildlife services division, my taxpayer funded federal counterpart. Wildlife Services (WS) has been muscling in on the private sector NWCOs for over a decade now trying to take more of the market away from us. This is just but one of the many items on their agenda.